Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection

Steven Smith
Federal Highway Administration
August 15, 2012

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 158 (Wednesday, August 15, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49057-49058]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-19872]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2012-0083]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments 
for a New Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request 
the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new 
information collection, which is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

DATES: Please submit comments by September 14, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments within 30 days to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention DOT Desk Officer. 
You are asked to comment on any aspect of this information collection, 
including: (1) Whether the proposed collection is necessary for the 
FHWA's performance; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways 
for the FHWA to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the 
collected information; and (4) ways that the burden could be minimized, 
including the use of electronic technology, without reducing the 
quality of the collected information. All comments should include the 
Docket number FHWA-2012-0083.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Owen Lindauer, Ph.D., 202-366-2655, 
Office of Program Development and Environmental Review (HEPE-10), 
Office of Planning Environment and Realty, Federal Highway 
Administration, Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave.

[[Page 49058]]

SE., Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: USDOT Survey of the USE of Categorical Exclusions in 
Transportation Projects Since 2005.
    OMB Control #: 2125-XXXX.
    Background: U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is directed 
to conduct a survey in section 1318 of Moving Ahead for Progress in the 
21st Century (MAP-21) not later than 60 days after the date of 
enactment (October 1, 2012) to survey the use of categorical exclusions 
in transportation projects since 2005 and publish the review of the 
survey that includes a description of the types of actions 
categorically excluded, and any requests previously received by the 
Secretary for new categorical exclusions. This provision of law also 
directs USDOT solicit requests from State Departments of 
Transportation, Transit authorities, Metropolitan Planning 
Organizations, and other government agencies for new categorical 
exclusions. A report of the results of this survey must be published 
within this same 60 day period. Then, this legislation requires that a 
notice of proposed rulemaking be published within 120 days of enactment 
of MAP-21.
    Respondents: State, Local, and Tribal Governments. The target group 
of respondents are individuals who are responsible for implementing the 
transportation project development process and are familiar with the 
environmental requirements for processing projects that are 
categorically excluded from the requirements to prepare either an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) or an environmental assessment 
(EA). The target groups identified in legislation include individuals 
with this knowledge and experience who work at State Departments of 
Transportation, Transit authorities, Metropolitan Planning 
Organizations and other agencies.
    State Departments of Transportation = 52, MPOs = about 375, Transit 
agencies = about 50, Tribal and other government agencies = as many as 
600.
    Total respondents = 1077.
    Total burden hours = 2154 (2 hours per response).
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: The estimated average 
reporting burden per response is two hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: This survey will occur once. The 
estimated total burden for all respondents is 2,154 hours.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed 
collection is necessary for the FHWA's performance; (2) the accuracy of 
the estimated burdens; (3) ways for the FHWA to enhance the quality, 
usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that 
the burden could be minimized, including the use of electronic 
technology, without reducing the quality of the collected information. 
The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in the request 
for OMB's clearance of this information collection.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: August 8, 2012.
Steven Smith,
Chief, Information Technology Division.
[FR Doc. 2012-19872 Filed 8-14-12; 8:45 am]
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